How to export multiple indd files to individual PDF's?

[KMK_media_group]

Is there a way without using scripting, to simply take, say 10 single indesign files (all just single 3.5x2 business card layouts) and export them to a pre-defined PDF preset resulting in 10 single PDF's? (other than one at a time?)

I tried a few things from Acrobat 9 pro, one of them being File/export/export multiple files/  thinking that must be the ticket, but

1) I can't find my pre-defined PDF preset in the "export to dropdown list" (but thats secondary, probably can add that in somehow, right?) and

2) even when I just pick PDF/a or PDF/x it starts the process, then tries to open each indd doc but a message comes up saying it can't open the INDD  file(s) and nothing was processed.

Can someone help me with this?

Thank you.

[Peter Spier]

Probably not faster than scripting, but if you put all the files into a Book, you can export the book as a single PDF, then extract the pages from the PDF as single files in Acrobat.

[KMK_media_group]

Thanks, I will keep that in mind, in the meantime, I am hoping there is yet an even more straightforward, simple solution out there. I can't imagine there wouldn't be. It seems like it would be a fairly common task that Adobe would certainly have a way of automating, again without scripting, either through acrobat, In Design, or bridge.

[BobLevine]

Open Acrobat and choose File > Create PDF > From File.

Choose the InDesign files you want to convert.

Bob

[KMK_media_group]

Bob,

I had already tried that as well but what happens is, after I select the InDesign files to be processed, within Acrobat, It opens In Design, tried to open the first file and then I get this message inside Acrobat.

"Acrobat could not open (name of first file in the batch.indd) because it is either not a supported file type or because the file has been damaged (for example it was sent as an email attachment and not properly decoded)  To create an Adobe PDF document, go the the source application. Then print the document to PDF."

Then it continues to give this message for each the files trying to be processed.

The In design files I am using are ones that I just created. No one sent them through email. They open and work just fine in InDesign.

Any thoughts? By the way I am using CS4 and Acrobat 9 pro.

[mgparrot2]

Hi!

Just a question ...Are your single 3.5x2 business card all the same or are they different?

What are you trying to print? A one sheet of buisness cards?

[KMK_media_group]

No, I am not trying to put them all on one sheet or anything like that. Forget about size or if they are business cards or all the same.

I have multiple, seperate, different, single page InDesign Docs that I want to output to multiple, different, seperate, single page PDF's. One way is to convert them one at a time.

But I was merely hoping to speed up the task by somehow doing them all at once.

[Peter Spier]

Why do you think a script is a bad solution?

[Mr. Met]

There's a great script called batch convert that will convert a folder (and subfolders if you tell the script to do so) of ID files to PDFs. I use it all the time. Great script. One of the best ones I use.

[KMK_media_group]

Mr. Met,

Thank you for that link. I am still trying to confirm if using script is the only way to do this task? Maybe some wonder why it matters? I may not have a good answer for that. I just really thought when I originally posted this, there would be a way directly using the user interface with a couple clicks.

I may use your script if I don't get confirmation but I noticed you need to create a starting folder that contain only the files you want converted. Not that thats a big deal, but I was hoping to just be able to click create PDF (or something) and choose the individual files I need to be converted, then choose the folder for the converted files and click create, or convert or whatever. Like when you use Bridge to do similar tasks.

Anyone out there able to confirm whether or not this is possible?

Thank you.

[Mr. Met]

Even within ID you would have to select a folder. How would ID know which folder to grab multiple files from? Once you get beyond exporting the file you have open, you need at least an additional step to select a folder for conversion and a place for them to go into if not same folder as the live file. This script is terrific. I do print ads for a hospital. Sometimes as many as 10 a day. It's great to be able to select the folder with today's ads and they all get exported to the PDF Print Ad folder.

What you and I think is something that should be built into the app may be something the vast majority could take or leave. We all have our pet peeves of what must be in ID but for the most part, truly essential actions are covered.

Now that the industry is moving to interactive newsletter and media, app bloat begins to become a major concern for me. I don't want to be waiting a half a minute every time I create an interactive action in ID so hopefully the implementation of interactive features will be carefully thought out.

I have at least 4 scripts I use almost daily: place multipage PDF, make booklet, export all files to PDF and make crops. No different than choosing a different tool to me.

[KMK_media_group]

I have no doubt your script is terrific!

I could go back and forth with you on what I meant by creating the starting folder, copy/pasting the files to be converted into the folder/ running the script then deleting the extra folder when i am done but again, I am only trying to answer/confirm my original question

.

After a few days, if no one is able to confirm whether or not the same function exists without script then I'll use it. I may use it anyway.

Thanks again for that link, I really do appreciate it.

[babinfisheter]

hey Met,

I have tried your script to batch my .indd files and it works well.  I'm wondering if there any ways can change

the PDF Preset setting, that I can batch multiple files with the specific pages I want to show in PDF file (i.e only pg 2&5 would

be show up)?

[SpudsMacMama]

Batch Convert script sounds FABULOUS. Unfortunately it does not want to seem to run for me??? I have downloaded and installed (the CS3 and later .jsx version) to my scripts panel and tried several different batch scenerios. Everytime a .txt file is generated, but nothing happens, no files are generated. ???

I am running CS5 on OS X version 10.6.8. I have also emailed the script author and am waiting for a reply.... Primarily I would like to use this script to batch export multiple .indds to pdfs or jpgs. Any suggestions you could offer? I REALLY, REALLY want this script.

[SEEKAY]

Worked great for me. A big thank you Mr. Met

[Mr. Met]

Ha! A post from 10 years ago. Glad it worked.

[KMK_media_group]

Peter,

I never said scripting was a bad solution, but is it the ONLY soution? Thats all. I really just thought it would be a basic functionality through either the InDesign or Acrobat user interface. But it is starting to seem that perhaps it isn't. So now I am really just trying to confirm whether it is or isn't.

I thought it would be as easy as what BobLevine said to do in his post. Just go to create PDF, choose the InDesign files and convert. I don't know if he really thought that would work or was just guessing and not realizing you get error messages. If ultimately I need to use a script, then so be it. I just like to learn/know what tasks I can do with and without scripting. I just really thought it would be a matter of a couple clicks and me not knowing what those clicks are.

[BobLevine]

It does work but I seem to have run into an issue here. When I choose a bunch of ID files, Acrobat launches InDesign CS3 instead of ID CS5. Time to figure out this one out.

BTW, I just went back and checked my original message. I should have said to use the batch convert multiple files command. My apologies for the confusion.

Bob

[KMK_media_group]

Bob,

Thanks for getting back in the loop on this.

Yes, that is one of the first things I tried. You're talking about File/Create PDF/Batch Create Multiple Files.......correct?

This seems like it should work and exactly what it is there for. It has the option to keep same file name or change it, etc.

And, I had the same thing happen as you, except mine opens CS4 instead of CS5. (whereas yours opened cs3) This part I am not too worried about.

I just assumed that it was because although I have CS5, I didn't bother to re-install Acrobat 9 since I assumed nothing changed in the upgrade, but that caused CS4 programs (that I still have installed) to still be linked to Acrobat 9.

Anyway, my bigger problem is, unlike you apparently, I get error messages saying "cannot open document" for each doc, then "no files were processed"

I have no idea why it would say this!!? It doesn't matter what indd file I choose...I get the same thing? Any idea why?

I take it you haven't run into this? Sounds like for you it opens CS3 and converts the files?

[BobLevine]

I don't have any idea, but I'm trying to figure out why it's opening CS3.

It might be time to pay the Acrobat forum a visit.

Bob

[KMK_media_group]

Macinbytes,

Would you mind walking me through what you are doing?

In your screen shot, that window looks like the preferences panel, in which you can set your PDF preset, correct?

Here's what I have been trying.

File/Create PDF/Batch Create Multiple files.

Eventually, I get this window. (output options)

Then when I hit OK, I get this error message saying the files cannot be opened.

[macinbytes]

If you are getting errors try the following.

Open a file in InDesign

Export a pdf

That works without errors, right? Now go to Acrobat, choose Open and select "All Files" and select the same InDesign Document. Does that produce a pdf? If not you've got gum in Acrobat and that needs fixed.

What Bob says about having CS3 is true on the Mac as well. Acrobat 9 even though it didn't ship with CS3 will prefer and even launch CS3 despite CS4 being open and try to use it to convert to pdf. Is it possibly that Acrobat is trying to invoke an older version of InDesign? In that event it will naturally fail.

[KMK_media_group]

Macinbytes,

Thanks for the reply but as mentioned in previous post, it was simply that INDD CS4 which launched by Acrobat, was trying to open the INDD CS5 files I had selected. That was producing the error messages.

Now were just waiting to hear back from BobLevine's post in the Acrobat forum of why Acrobat is launching eariler versions on INDD.

Mr. Met,

When you discover that something isn't working right in a program, typically I like to correct it if possible, even if I don't use that feature often, as for all I know, that glitch could be causing other unforseen issues as well. Sometimes its just plain stubborness of why something isn't working as it should.

[BobLevine]

This from someone on the Acrobat team:

The version of ID launched will be the version that has last registered itself with the "ExtendScript" environment used by the various CS apps + Acrobat to talk to each other.

Bob

[KMK_media_group]

Bob,

Hmmm, sounds like we have a reason, so is someone still potentially going to get back to us on a solution?

I am wondering if merely re-installing Acrobat 9 would connect the communications between the new CS5 programs and solve it.

Haven't tried it yet but I might.